W.D. Tolson moved after 1866 to Platte Co MO then
in 1870s to Colusa, California, where he belonged to the United
Confederate Veterans, Camp Pap Price, Post #1360. The Southern Cross of
Honor was bestowed upon him on October 19, 1903 at a Camp Meeting.
He passed away at the age 80, May 3, 1916, College City Cemetery, Colusa
County.

Twenty-second Cavalry.
W.D. Tolson served in a Grayson County militia then in Co H of the 22d
Cav. from Dec 13, 1861and his last Compiled Service Record (CSR) was
"August 16, 1863." His commanders recognized his
bookkeeping skills written a thoughtful format, so he was promoted (Oct
1862) to captain in charge of tracking ordnance, which was their MOST
important commodity.

There are 117 CSRs his NARA file; below, from left to
right, are CSR #002, 017, 023, 072 of 117.

x
x
x

This CSR #072 of 117 was found in Fold3 <> Confederate
Records <> Texas <> Twenty-second Cavalry <> T <> Tolson, Wm. D. ...
Brig-Gen. Albert Pike was the commander of the camps where
Tolson was stationed. The rank-of-file soldiers and especially
the Indians loved Pike, who was hated by Maj-Gen. Thos. C.
Hindman who probably "reduced" Tolson’s rank just because
Pike had promoted him. Notice that Tolson was promoted to
Captain in October 1862.

Since Wm. D. Tolson's last record
in the 22d Cavalry was dated August 16, 1863, it is probable that soon
thereafter, he began serving in Bourland's Regt. Beginning in
February 1863, the Texas Legislature mandated that guards be placed up and
down the South bank of Red River to ensure that travelers had acceptable
passports. Bourland organized the men of communities so that
one-half of the men would patrol Red River for six-week turns while the
other one-half would stay behind and care for their families.
The only record we have that many of these men served in this capacity are
family records.

Editor's note: John Jehu Miller (b-1845
NC, 1860 Grayson Co TX cen p215) served for 23 months in Bourland's Regt
even though his only CSR read: "Oct 1864, J. Miller, sick."
We know he served in Bourland's Regt because he wrote a letter explaining
his service with her husband, D.L. Cabe, so she could collect a widow's pension.